The story of India army


 Jawaharlal Nehru believed that Indians did not have the ability or experience to manage the country’s army, and therefore, the head of the Indian Army should be a foreigner. Since Indians had only served in lower ranks in the British Army, he appointed an English general, Rob Lockhart, as the first head of the Indian Army after independence.


At the end of 1948, Rob Lockhart resigned because he wanted to return to England, leaving the position of army chief vacant. To appoint a new English army chief, Nehru called a cabinet meeting, which included some Indian officers of lieutenant rank.


Nehru began speaking: “Since Indians do not have experience managing the army, among these names, which foreign general do you think is suitable? Give your opinion.”


At this, Colonel Nathu Singh Rathore stood up and said to Nehru:

"If Indians do not have experience being a Prime Minister, should you also have been replaced? Why appoint a foreigner for this post? Which country in the world makes a foreigner the head of its own army?"


Hearing this, Nehru was furious and had him removed from the meeting.


The Defense Minister, Baldev Singh, however, was impressed by Nathu Singh’s courage. He requested Nathu Singh’s entire service record and discovered that he had successfully led army units in Burma and during World War II. He recommended to Nehru that Nathu Singh should be made the army chief.


However, because Nehru was still angry, Nathu Singh was not appointed. Instead, another Indian officer, K. M. Cariappa, was made the army chief.


Nathu Singh Rathore hailed from the same land as Maharana Pratap, whom the Mughals could never defeat.

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